3. Four Dimensions of Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a wonderful introductory guide showing us what to pray, but it is not the only guidance the Bible gives us for developing our prayer skills. For example, the apostle Paul also provides a great deal of information about prayer that we can utilize. Paul frequently urges Christians to pray (Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 4:6, etc.), and in his first letter to his assistant Timothy he gives some very specific instruction:
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-5). Paul packs an amazing amount of guidance into these few verses. Notice that he begins with the words "I urge, then, first of all…" and if we study Paul's letter carefully we see that he does not follow with a "second" or "third" exhortation – the "first" is not the first of many, but something he feels is first in importance. Paul tells us it is of primary importance that we are active in four types of prayer: "petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving."
These are not just four random aspects of prayer. Paul mentions each of them at other points in his writings – for example, he mentions prayer, petition, and thanksgiving in Philippians 4:6, but it is only in his first epistle to Timothy that he brings all four aspects together as a complete list.
Although there is some overlap, each of these four aspects of our conversations with God represents a different "dimension" of prayer:
"Petitions" (Greek deésis) indicates prayer for a particular need – simply asking for something. Although prayer should never be just a list of requests, God's word shows he does want us to look to him for our needs, of course (Matthew 6:11, 1 Peter 5:7, etc.), and our conversations with God will usually involve some "petitions." • "Prayers" (proseuche) is a more general word for speaking to God, but it often carries the idea of worship and praise. The same word is found in Matthew 21:13 where Jesus said of the temple, "My house will be called a house of prayer." • "Intercessions" (enteuxis) represent what may often be an urgent request on the behalf of others. But this intercession with God can be either for or against someone or something. We see this difference in Romans 8:34 "Christ Jesus … is also interceding for us" and in Romans 11:2 "Elijah … appealed to God against Israel." The word can mean to intervene or to interfere in a situation, and the central idea is one of strong pleading for justice, mercy, or some other aspect of God's intervention. • "Thanksgiving" (eucharistia) conveys expressions of gratitude which are a vital dimension of fully effective prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is also important to understand that our expressions of thankfulness should be for the good things that have been given not only to us personally, but also to others – as Paul stresses in telling us that all these forms of prayer are to be made "for all people." We may notice a few other details regarding this instruction. After listing these four general dimensions of prayer, Paul then specifically mentions that they be used for all people and especially for "kings and all those in authority" so that believers "may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (vs. 2) – something we will return to later.
Paul also makes the point in these verses that our prayers should be offered through (or in the name of) the "one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." While the pagan peoples of the ancient world believed in many intermediaries between humans and the gods, Paul shows the fallacy of this idea in stressing that there is only one mediator for full and acceptable prayer – Jesus Christ – because only Christ paid the penalty for our sins, allowing us to approach God in prayer.
These are important points, but the major thrust of Paul's message to Timothy about prayer is found in what he says is of "first" importance: the four types of prayer he lists. We should understand that these four aspects of prayer do not somehow contradict the seven themes of prayer Jesus gave in the Lord's Prayer. In fact, the two approaches to prayer interact completely. Each of the points Christ mentioned in the Lord's Prayer can be seen to fit into what Paul says and, as we will see, the four aspects of prayer that Paul lists enhance our understanding of how to pray through the Lord's Prayer.
While Jesus' guide to prayer stresses the themes of our prayer, the list Paul gives us looks at the types of prayer we offer. Paul is stressing the way we approach God as we pray about the specific things Jesus mentions. In other words, the Lord's Prayer gives us points to pray about, while Paul looks at the underlying approaches we should be taking as we pray about these things.
But there are some differences between what we pray about and the approaches we take. What we pray about will change according to circumstances, while the approaches we take will remain the same. We can easily and quickly learn the topics or subjects of prayer listed in the Lord's Prayer, but there is much more to learn about the approaches we can take to these topics.
That is why we will look more closely at Paul's four approaches to prayer – examining each "dimension" individually in the following parts of this book. It is to the degree that we come to understand the potential of each of these approaches that we will be fully utilizing the "direct line" of prayer we have been given!
PART TWO:
PRAISE